Walking in the Ardennes. Jeff Williams

      Poupehan from The Pulpit

      Do not rejoin the track after this. Instead take a small path that follows the edge downwards NW, winding through the trees and eventually bringing you out on the normal route much lower down. It’s just a short distance from there to the crossing of the main road at its sharp bend by the Restaurant Les Croisettes. Go straight over onto a road (signposted Frahan) and after 150m take the track that winds down left into the shallow valley of the tiny Ruisseau du Moulin Joly – the mill referred to being about 1km upstream. Keep the stream on your left and keep right at a junction where the track begins to climb. After 150m there is a fork; although the Crêtes de Frahan is signed uphill and right from here, you should take the left, downhill, option. Just before a small bridge and a campsite, look out for the small path (signposted for the GR) that goes up steeply rightwards into woods. This is the first part of the highly enjoyable Crêtes de Frahan traverse. The first landmark is a col on a very narrow isthmus that supports the peninsula at the end of which lies the village of Frahan. Take a moment to look down both sides onto the Semois. You are clearly so high above the river that no oxbow lake could appear here and render Frahan an island community.

      Now continue and enjoy the sometimes narrow but never challenging walk, mostly along the crest of the ridge, all the way to Frahan. Its roofs and church spire suddenly appear at your feet as you descend to a particularly good viewpoint. Take note here: you can see the bridge that crosses the river and the track leading up to Rochehaut village, visible disturbingly high up to the north.

      As the path reaches Frahan turn left to the church. Then keep right down to the end of the road and cross the river on the 1926-built footbridge. There are good picnic sites on both sides of the river here. Turn left following GR signs, climbing all the way to Rochehaut. Almost at the top of the hill take the second right at the six-way junction, which takes you up to the main road in 150m. It is just a short uphill walk then to the village centre, but don’t miss the view of Frahan, its bridge and its Crêtes, nestling within the loop of the Semois and flanked by high, forested hills.

      Rochehaut is a very smart little place that depends largely on tourism, notably trading on its view of a loop in the Semois, for its livelihood. It has cafés, ice cream parlours, restaurants, hotels and homemade food shops as well as three art galleries. It is a good place to stop or start a walk but a bit off the pace for a long stay.

      Leave the village by turning right into Rue des Moissons, keeping the church on the left, and at the top of the rise cross the N893 into the Chemin des Falloises. Keep straight on at the next junction and at the subsequent crossroads where the surface deteriorates. Follow signs for local route 84, go down into the woods, turn right and then fork left. You soon reach a large warning sign for the Promenade des Échelles (the ladder walk). ‘Difficult and dangerous’ are the words used to describe it, and readers of this book must ultimately decide for themselves whether to risk it. The path leads downhill and is decidedly steep in places but never more than awkward (although trickier if muddy). It descends to the river where you turn right. The next section warrants care, the path being steep, narrow and eroded in places, with mild exposure to the river on the left, tree roots to fall over (and hold on to) and short, steep descents where a slip would be easy. Many would agree that the description ‘dangerous’ is a bit over the top unless you take no care, are physically limited or too young to cope.